Netanyahu is desperate to subject the Israeli judiciary to his power so that it cannot convict him of corruption. The army won't stand for that change, and the defense minister (a former general) called on Netanyahu to compromise. Instead he fired the minister. Meanwhile, 100,000 protesters came out and pole-wielding thugs attacked them on horseback.

A general strike has been announced.

I've predicted this confrontation for many years. Ultra-orthodox Jews have special privileges which they use to increase their numbers, and they have joined with the extreme right-wing. That increase, across the decades, has brought the right-wing to a position where control of the state is in the balance. Even if the supporters of democracy win this time, the demographic trand will sooner or later deliver victory to the right-wing.

The only path I see for its survival is for the democratic Jews and the Palestinians to unite to support liberal democracy. But I don't see how there could be enough trust between them for that to happen. Maybe Uri Avnery could have united them if he lived, but it would have been a tall order even for him.

If Israel's democracy falls, many Israeli Jews will have to search for countries to move to where they can be safe from repression.

An elite Putin forces unit, made up of Russian veterans of the 2014 invasion of Ukraine, suffered great losses and tried to retreat. Other units of the Putin forces were ordered to threaten to kill them.

They made a video to denounce this treatment.

The Australian Labor and Green parties have made a disappointing compromise which will allow some new fossil fuel developments but could cap total fossil fuel extraction and total gross greenhouse emissions.

US citizens: phone your congresscritter and ask per to sign on to Rashida Tlaib's letter to Merrick Garland calling for dropping charges against Julian Assange.

The Capitol Switchboard numbers are +1-202-224-3121, +1-888-818-6641 and +1-888-355-3588.

If you phone, please spread the word!

*Drugs and alcohol do not make [people] more creative, research finds. Travel, meditation, training and exposure to culture have a greater effect on artistic output.*

*People who took psilocybin felt they were more creative while on the drug, but were actually underperforming relative to their sober state.*

Those results are statistical. There can be occasional exceptions, such as *if you have a vision on hallucinogenics and paint a beautiful picture inspired by it.*